(1) 2 types of glory
a. Glory of Jesus Christ
2:1 My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
(PNTC) Describing Jesus as the Lord of glory suggests particularly the heavenly sphere to which he has been exalted and from which he will come at the end of history to save and to judge (cf. Jas. 5:9). This reminder is particularly appropriate in a situation where Christians are giving too much “glory” to human beings.
2:5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
(PNTC) . Christians, however poor in material possessions they may be, possess spiritual wealth presently and anticipate greater blessings in the future. It is from this spiritual vantage-point, not the material, that Christians should judge others. Whether believers or unbelievers, people should not be evaluated by Christians according to the standards of the world.
2:8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
2:8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
(PNTC) referring to the sum total of demands that God, through Jesus, imposes on believers: “the whole law as interpreted and handed over to the church in the teaching of Jesus.” Understood in this sense, the “royal law” may well extend beyond the Mosaic law as fulfilled and reinterpreted by Jesus to include the teaching of Jesus.
b. Glory of this world
2:2a For if someone comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothing,
v.3a do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed
Reflection: Has our worldview been changed since we believed in Jesus? Is He our glorious king? Are we looking forward to His kingdom? Is His teaching our royal law? Do we use our Christian standard to evaluate our situations? Or are we still stuck in our old worldview and only focus on the gold ring, and fine clothing?
(2) Difficult text v.9-13
(PNTC) Pressed to its logical conclusion, James’s argument would require obedience to every single commandment of the law, including the requirements concerning ceremonial observances. Is this what James intends? Nothing in his letter would suggest that he holds so strict a view. And he does give us a hint within vv. 10–11 that this is not the case...
Therefore, while employing logic drawn from the OT and Jewish orthodoxy, James applies it to a new situation. It is not the OT law per se that he urges perfect compliance with, but “the royal law” (v. 8), “the law of liberty” (v. 12; cf. 1:25).
Audrey
Comments